Why the hate?

The queer community would be bros with Brad Trost if it wasn’t for all the ignorance

Can't Think StraightJonathan Petrychyn
A&C Editor

It seems as though all the cute ones are crazy.

You know, if I had ran into Brad Trost on the street, not knowing a single thing about him, I probably would have developed a minor crush on him.

But, knowing what I know about Brad Trost now, if I ran into him on the street, I would probably be more apt to vomit than develop a crush.

I know it’s kind of old hat to rag on Brad Trost for his willful ignorance to the kinds of services that the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) provides, but his unwillingness to understand that the IPPF provides services beyond those of safe abortions needs to be addressed from a young, queer perspective, even if just for a moment.

Look, Brad, I’m sure you’re a nice guy. You’re smart – you have a BA and BSc! – attractive, successful, and presumably articulate. But what’s the deal, man? Why are you so fixated on this organization? Why are you so fixated on disenfranchising the rights of women and the queer community? We’re bros. We don’t hate you – we’re just really concerned for you.

There are pro-life queers and pro-life youth. I know this, you know this. You might even know one of them. I’m not here to pass judgment on anyone’s views regarding the pro-life/pro-choice debate. What I am here to do, is to implore you to educate yourself about services the IPPF offers queer individuals across the globe.

It’s easy to get caught up in the IPPF’s stance on abortion as the only issue it stands for. All it takes is simple game of word association to realize that the first term that comes to mind when you think of Planned Parenthood is abortion.

But we have to work as a community to associate the IPPF with its other services and programs. Of particular interest to this column, of course, is their work on HIV/AIDS.

The IPPF has been instrumental in the fight against HIV/AIDS, a disease that disproportionately affects men who have sex with other men and other marginalized groups. Who is to educate young queer youth internationally on the dangers of the disease if not the IPPF?

Moreover, who is going to educate people in poverty-stricken, third-world countries about safe-sex practices so they can do their best do avoid contracting HIV? Listen, you can say that abstinence is the only way to stop the spread of HIV, but let’s be honest: humans are sexual beings, and no one is going to stop having sex because you say so. Who else is going to provide treatment and support to those living with HIV/AIDS?

Consider this an open letter of sorts to Brad Trost. I, as I’m sure many of my queer colleagues and our allies would like to know where he stands on the IPPF’s commitment to education and treatment of HIV/AIDS.